Red-White Reflections
by StasisRage
Summary: Ruby Rose has had a difficult life. Soldier turned common bodyguard in a tragic accident. Who can help her regain the love of life she once had before? Maybe someone who knows the same loneliness she feels. Whiterose/Background Bumblebee. Rated M for citrus goodness. Only in later chapters though. Enjoy. Trigger warning. PTSD ahead.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys, StasisRage here. How is everyone today? Good I hope.**

 **Here's part one of a little white rose two shot. I'm considering writing a story where Qrow raises Ruby so Im gonna be experimenting with that bit OOC'ness. Ruby is aged up a bit and took some bad habits from Qrow. Hope everyone enjoys.**

 **Disclamers: RWBY is owned by RoosterTeeth and Monty Oum (RIP)**

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'People look like ants from up here' Ruby thought to herself while gazing from the apartment balcony onto the busy streets below. Lights sparkled and glistened off in the distanced, enchanting those with the privilege to see them from up height. The streets were oddly busy for this hour, but I guess that's Friday night in the big city. Everyone has somewhere to be. Drinking with friends, business meetings for the particularly wealthy, and random people meandering the streets looking for anything to do.

"Nothing at all like home." Ruby said to no one. She gazed down at the noisy street as she took another long drag from her cigarette. She ran her hand over the length of her face, feeling the sharp jagged edges of the protective cover placed over her eye.

Ruby had just gotten off the phone with Yang for their brief yearly phone call. Ruby took another drag from her cigarette and slowly exhaled into the chilly winter air.

"Happy 28th birthday me." She quietly wished herself as she snuffed out the end of her cigarette and went back inside. Ruby lived alone in two-bedroom apartment in Seattle, that had too much space in her opinion. She passed by a large black and white island that rested in between her open kitchen and living room. She set her pack of cigarettes and lighter down on top, so she wouldn't forget them tomorrow.

As Ruby walked down the hall she stopped to glance at the long mirror she placed above a small desk. She stared at her one good eye for moment before looking away and continuing towards the bedroom. As she opened the door and walked inside she flicked on a small lamp placed by the bedside. A plain looking bed centered against the door side wall with a small nightstand separating the bed from the door. No pictures hung on the wall, no decorations whatsoever adorned her room. Ruby walked over to the closet to set her clothes for the day inside the dirty clothes hamper.

As Ruby opened the door she was reminded of a painful past. Hung up on the inside of the door rested an old military uniform. Medals and ribbons decorated the chest although one specifically caught her eye, a purple heart. The shot should've killed her, left her with permanent brain damage at least, but besides losing an eye there were no permanent injuries. All her family, the uncle that raised her, the sister that sheltered her, were so happy she was okay. They said she was lucky.

Ruby knew how unlucky she was. To experience the horrors of war first hand. They say it's an honor to bleed for your country, but that wasn't enough. Ruby remembered her squadron, just a routine patrol, that's all It was supposed to be. It was everything but. A firefight erupted with local insurgents they were outnumbered and outgunned when the enemy started heavy artillery fire. Support had a 5-minute ETA, but she knew they wouldn't last that long. All around her, her squad mates were dying, and she was helpless to stop it. All she could do was lay down as much fire and take as many of them with her as she could.

The taste of sand in her mouth, the smell of iron from the blood around her. The screams, oh god the screams haunt her to this very day. She was the last of her squad she could see, then suddenly she couldn't. She woke up two months later stateside and immediately inquired about her squad. There were no other survivors. They say it's honor to bleed for your country, but that's not enough. Ruby knew she should've died for hers. She wishes she did.

As Ruby stripped off her clothes for the night and went to lie down she hoped that tonight would be a dreamless sleep. It never was.

The next morning Ruby awoke in a cold sweat to her alarm blaring in the background. Her morning routine was exactly that, routine. 0600 wake up, 0630 shower, 0645 make breakfast, finish eating by 0730 and out the door by 0745. She followed her routine to the T with no deviation.

Ruby worked as a private contractor in the civilian sector. Her job was to guard any CEO or government official that paid for her services. Her range record with a rifle made her one of the best shots in the world, and years of hand to hand combat practice between her professional boxer sister and several military special forces instructors, made her a terrifying threat up close. All that made finding a job in this line of work easy. Ruby was a trained killer who was very good at her job.

Today as she walked down the crowded streets of Seattle she wore her usual attire. A black suit and tie with a white button up. Blend in, don't be noticed. That was her motto. Ruby scanned the crowd constantly, prepared for any potential threat. Never drop your guard. Her caretaker and uncle, Qrow Branwen, had taught her that. He taught Ruby and her sister caution and basic self-defense at an early age.

Even as Ruby neared her favorite coffee shop she didn't drop her guard. The doors slid open and a small warm air had met her at the door. The heater was running on full blast this time of year. Ruby didn't like crowds so her preferred shop was a hole in the wall with barely five people including the two baristas and herself. A small woman with white hair and sky-blue eyes sat typing away on her laptop and sipping coffee. Her eyes were a vibrant blue that were accented only by the jagged scar that ran down her left eye. 'I know what that's like honey' Ruby thought to herself. She couldn't help but admire the snow haired women's beauty for a moment before continuing towards the counter. The women across from the snow women was dressed similarly to Ruby herself. A faceless guard. 'Must be some CEO's daughter' Ruby assumed.

As Ruby approached the counter about to order she heard the sliding doors open again. A man with a good up, starring at the floor walked in, in a hurry. Ruby recognized it immediately.

"Stay calm, do exactly what he says. Remember to breathe it'll be ok." Ruby told one of the baristas.

Ruby moved over to the side as the man approached the counter, making sure to hide his face. Ruby turned to see the other guard women thinking they should have no problem detaining some drug addict together to find the snow women's guard completely oblivious. 'Shit she's green' Ruby mentally cursed. The man could be heard shuffling in his hoody as all the patrons looked up at him only to find a gun drawn pointed directly at the cashier.

The other nameless guard stood up and began to slowly approach the man, hoping to sneak up on him. She motioned for snow angel to stay calm and stay seated quietly. As she approached the robber, getting closer and closer, Ruby saw it, the tell. The barista had made eye contact with the nameless suit. That was all the robber needed. He turned to see her approaching and immediately pointed the barrel of his gun at her. Ruby rushed to disarm the man but not before he fired three shots. BAM BAM BAM. A flash, the smell of gun smoke, and iron. Ruby didn't have to look she knew the smell of iron all to well. Blood. The grabbed the mans wrist and twisted, he lost his grip but before the gun dropped to the ground Ruby caught it and quickly shifted it in her hand comfortably. The robber reached for the gun as well but was met with a heel to the face. As he stumbled backwards, Ruby gained complete control of the situation and had the gun pointed right at the mans head.

"Don't move." Ruby commanded sternly, but this man was already a lost cause. He got up as fast as he could and charged Ruby.

"Your funeral." Ruby said as she squeezed the trigger and ending the would-be robbers' life, effective immediately. More iron filled her nose. "I hate the damn smell of blood. Is everyone ok?" she looked around the room to find two stunned baristas let out a breath of relief and a certain white-haired woman staring at something on the floor. Ruby's' eyes followed the snow angels to the lifeless body of a faceless guard lying face down in a pool of blood.

Ruby marched over to the assumed heiress covering her eyes. "Don't look. Nobody should have to see this." Ruby motioned for the baristas to step outside along with her and snow angel she made sure to tell them not to look as well. As they got outside Ruby instructed the baristas to call 911. Ruby pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"You seem fine. How do you do it?" Ruby turned to the source of the voice. The assumed heiress was staring at Ruby wide-eyed.

"You get used to it." As Ruby turned to face snow angel their eyes finally met. The white-haired women stared at Ruby's face for a moment before apologizing.

"I'm sorry. I know it's rude to stare." Snow angel said before casting her eyes down towards the ground.

"Is it though? The only difference between us is a couple inches I guess." Ruby smiled slightly at that, her smile was returned by snow angel.

"I'm sorry, my names Weiss, Weiss Schnee. Thank you for saving me." Ruby reflected a moment, sure she had apprehended the robb- well murderer now I guess but would he have opened fire on all of them. It was likely. Ruby contemplated a moment before looking back to Weiss.

"Just wish I could've saved one more. Did you know her?" Ruby asked with concern and some regret as she stares back into the now crime scene.

"No, not really. My father is the owner of Schnee energy. He hires them and tells them to not get friendly with me." Weiss replies slightly dejected.

"Shame." Ruby quickly commented as she took a drag from her cigarette.

"I'm sorry but, you seemed familiar with that kind of situation." Weiss quickly commented, curious to Ruby's past.

"I was a combat veteran in Afghanistan. That's how I got this." Ruby gestured to the eyepatch that rested on her face and sighed heavily.

"Oh. . . . I'm sorry." Weiss said in a somber tone, apologetic for dredging up what had to be a bad memory.

"Eh. That's life. Should've been a lot worse." She took another drag before throwing the finished butt on the ground and stomping out any remaining embers. "I work in the private sector now, personal bodyguard for heir." She added on dully and began to walk away. After her first step she felt a tug on the back of her shirt only to turn and see Weiss cautiously holding on to her. She looked at Weiss quizzically for a moment before Weiss spoke up.

"Please. Don't leave me alone right now. I've never had to deal with this kind of thing." Weiss looked at the ground avoiding eye contact.

"Let me call my employer and let him know what happened. I'll stay with you until someone gets here to pick you up." Ruby grabbed Weiss's hand, unlatching it from her shirt and holding on to it for a moment before continuing away from Weiss.

Ruby pulled out her cellphone from her jacket pocket and quickly dialed her boss.

"Ozpin, it's Rose. There's been a small incident." Ruby walked farther away from Weiss for privacy but stayed in sight of the white-haired girl.

Weiss kept her eyes focused on Ruby. Never in her life had she needed anyone to feel safe, but something about the dark-haired girl screamed at Weiss every sense to not let her go. Something told Wiess that this person, this stranger, was someone that would keep her safe. Weiss got the painful sense that this girl needed help too though. Judging by the dull tone that she spoke and the way she easily looked a man in the eye and pulled the trigger to snuff out his life. Even if the man had not lived anything akin to a "good" life, a life was still a life. The coldness that existed within Ruby was something Weiss knew all to well. The sense of helplessness and bitter loneliness in life were something Weiss knew very well, but Ruby had seen things Weiss couldn't fathom. Even still, Weiss wanted to help this girl out of the darkness that she admittedly, still struggled with. Maybe they could help each other.

Weiss planned out her next action cautiously, she never wanted a bodyguard before, but none of them had ever died in front of her. Weiss recoiled recalling the lifeless body of the women her father had hired. After collecting herself again she knew one thing, Ruby Rose has to be my bodyguard.

"Yes sir, thank you." Ruby finished her phone call and began walking back to Weiss who was waiting patiently for her. "Everything's ok with my boss." She took on a near by bench and Weiss joined her.

"Ms. Rose-"

"Ruby is fine." Ruby interrupted before Weiss could say anything.

"Yes, well, Ruby. I was wondering. . . If you would consider becoming my bodyguard." Weiss fidgeted in her spot, obviously nervous about the question she had asked.

Ruby stared at Weiss, surprised by her inquiry. "I umm… I don't know Weiss. I kind of already have a job from someone in town."

"Oh. Could I ask who it is?" Weiss asked a little dejected.

"Ozpin, the CEO for Beacon Pharmaceuticals." Ruby said eager to get away from this line of questioning. Weiss grew a small smile hearing who Ruby's current employer was.

"Excellent. My fathers' company helps with their technological advancements. We are currently under contract for them. I could make a few phone calls." Weiss said clearly excited.

"Wait, Weiss, why do you want this? We only just met today." Ruby said curious about Weiss attitude. Weiss' face quickly turned a slight shade of pink that did not go unnoticed by Ruby.

"Wh- well, you. . . uhh. . . seem. . . capable. . YES, that's it. You seem very capable at your job. Based on today's performance I can't say that anyone would be better suited for the position." Weiss quickly pieced together, blush still prominent.

Ruby looked wide eyed for a moment and pulled out a piece of paper. A car quickly pulled up next to where the girls were seated. Ruby took note of the Schnee emblem on the hood of the car, making the obvious connection that this was Weiss ride. Weiss noticed as well, and her features morphed to disappointment. Ruby stood up and handed Weiss the paper, her hand lingering on Weiss' for perhaps just a bit too long before Ruby winked at the blue-eyed girl. Weiss slight blush became much more prominent at Ruby's actions.

"If it works out, you know where to find me." Ruby said with a slight smile and turned to walk away.

Weiss unfolded the paper and found in red pen the words "Good Luck" written inside. She turned to call to the red themed girl to find she was already gone. Weiss climbed in her families car thinking 'Ruby Rose will be my bodyguard.' "Clein, get Mr. Ozpin on the phone."

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 **Well that's part one. As always R+R. Hope everyone enjoyed. See you guys next chapter.**

 **That'll be up when i feel like it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNING: TRIGGER WARNING AT THE BEGINNING. SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.**

 **Disclaimers: RWBY is owned by Roostertheeth and Monty Oum.**

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The echo of bullet firing from a semi-auto firearm. The whirl of the bullet passing close by. The sand in the breeze stinging the eyes. The smell of blood in the air. The color of blood mixing with the ground Earth and sand. The feeling of watching your brothers in arms die. The powerlessness to prevent it. The sharp pain penetrating your head. The darkness that wraps you up shutting off every sensation to the outside world. The craving of being held by that same darkness again. The white ceiling above as the darkness recedes.

Ruby Rose awoke just like any other morning, covered in a cold sweat. Dreaming of her units' demise and her unfortunate luck of not being able to join them. The dreams were particularly bad tonight. Every sensation was particularly powerful and vivid. More so than usual.

Ruby swung her legs off the side of the bed. Her feet made contact with the cool carpet below. Ruby walked towards the bathroom attached to her room. She wanted to take a hot shower to wash away the sweat. Maybe the warm water would relax her enough to stop the shaking too. Ruby turned on the water. As soon as the water was warm enough Ruby submerged her head into the water. The water was relaxing for a few moments. Ruby spaced out looking at the shower floor, the water running over her and the white noise that accompanied it sent Ruby deep in thought.

Thought was never a good thing. Her mind wondered to the battlefield. Richard, Alex, McCall, Tera, Jameson, Thompson. Her brothers and sisters. For nine months they were her family. Days in the field they protected each other, always had the others back. Then they were gone. A routine patrol gone way wrong. She even had to kill a couple kids, they couldn't have been older than 15. She was their leader it was her job. She had to, to save them. But, it was pointless. The inhuman atrocities she committed in the name of saving those next to her, all pointless. She couldn't save any of them she couldn't even die along side them like she should have. Pathetic.

Voices echoed in Ruby's head. Killer, fake, failure over and over they grew louder and louder and louder. Ruby covered her ears and collapsed in the shower.

" _Stop! Please! Stop! I'm sorry!"_ Ruby thought to herself in an endless loop.

She was thankful the water masked the tears, but the white noise, the sound of water hitting ceramic was too loud, but the voices were louder.

"Im sorry. I'm so sorry everyone. Please forgive me. Make them stop. Make the voices stop." Ruby talked openly to herself.

"Please! Just leave me alone! I couldn't die then! Isn't that punishment enough!" Ruby was screaming, unable to push the voices out. Her cries turned to sobs. Ruby wept in the shower all alone until the door flew open almost coming off it's hinges.

"Ruby?! Oh my god!" Strong arms picked Ruby off the shower floor and pulled her into an embrace. Through tears Ruby could only make out long blonde hair and the smell of a campfire and a little sweat.

"Ya-Yang?" Ruby choked out through barely restrained sobs.

"It's ok Ruby. I've got you. I've got you." Yang picked up the towel on the counter and began covering Ruby up. Yang held Ruby, rocking back and forth with Ruby in her lap. It was all she could think of to comfort the wounded veteran. After a little while Ruby's sobs stopped, but the tears didn't. Yang could not brace for what Ruby was about to say.

"I want to die. I should've died. I failed. I don't deserve life." Ruby said emotionlessly as she was finally able to speak. Yang began to tear up.

" _This is my fault. All of this. I didn't visit enough. Fuck. I rarely called her. I should've been there. I should've come to make sure she was ok after she got back."_ Yang internally berated herself for not taking care of her little sister.

"Ruby! Please don't say that. You're what little family I have left. Please, don't leave me alone. I love you. Dad loves you. We are so happy you came back. We are so lucky you're ok. Please don't throw the life dad and I love so much away." Yang's tears were now flowing freely. She pulled Ruby close as she cried on to the redhead's shoulder.

"I don't know what to do Yang. I can't let them go, I won't let them go." Ruby had finally calmed down enough to stand on her own.

"I've got to get ready for work now Yang. What are you even doing here?" Ruby said emotionlessly. Clearly masking her suffering.

"I came to visit. I wanted to surprise you so I talked your receptionist into giving me your extra room key." Yang admitted while wiping away her tears.

"Well, we can talk later. After work." Ruby got up to go get dressed.

Yang noticed that Ruby had left her phone on the bathroom countertop.

"Hey Rubes, who is it you're working for again?" Yang yelled from the bathroom.

"Ozpin, he's a CEO for a big pharma company." Ruby commented from behind the closed door.

Yang quickly picked up her sister's cell phone and searched through the contact list to find exactly who she was looking for. It wasn't hard. Ruby's only contacts were Yang, Father, Ozpin and someone name Weiss. Yang bookmarked her name to question Ruby for later.

Yang called Ozpin and waited for an answer.

"Ah. Ms. Rose. What do I owe the pleasure? You're not on duty for another hour." The voice on the other side of the line asked.

"Actually sir, this is her Sister Yang. Ruby is kind of dealing with some stuff. I found her crying in the shower this morning." Yang had said to Ozpin, hurt clearly present in her voice.

"Oh my. I'm sorry to hear that. I understand the circumstance so please, take as long as needed. She is my best guard, it'll be odd not having her around. I needed to talk to her today though. If you don't mind miss, would you please tell Ms. Rose to report to the Schnee Manor when she is able. I will let them know the circumstance. Her contract with me was negotiated to the youngest Schnee. She should know what I'm talking about." Ozpin said slightly dejected.

"I see. I'll let her know. And, sir?" Yang waited for Ozpin to answer.

"Yes miss?" The expected response.

"Thank you, for taking care of my sister. I know she really liked working for you." Yang smiled slightly as the words left her mouth.

"Oh no, it was my pleasure having someone like Ruby around. Give her my regards. I hope one day she can truly overcome the trauma she's experienced." Ozpin said with genuine concern and hope.

"Thank you. Me too." Yang replied as she hung up the phone.

Ruby pulled the bathroom door open to see Yang still on the floor with her phone. They locked eyes and moments of silence and stillness passed.

"Yang, what did you do?" Ruby asked while eyeing Yang suspiciously.

"I may or may not have called in for work for you." Yang put her hand up in defense of her actions.

"You what?!" Ruby practically screeched at Yang.

"Hey! You clearly need it, it's my responsibility to look after you. I AM your big sister after all." Yang fired back trying to justify her actions.

"Why the fuck start now?! You didn't bother to come see me for 3 years! You've only called once a year on my birthday since then! What makes you my sister?! Why would you suddenly start acting like it now?!" Ruby yelled in anger at her sister. Guilt sat clearly on Yang's face.

"I'm sorry. I know I should've been there. I feel guilty for leaving you so alone. It's just…. When you got back, when I saw you in that hospital bed, when I saw you break down after you got the news, I was so afraid. I was powerless to help my own sister. For the first time in my life I felt like I could only sit and do nothing. I thought the best I could do was give you space. Dad and I both thought that. After our phone call the other day I figured you sounded well enough. I thought you had gotten better. So, I decided to finally visit. To finally see the sister, I've missed for so long." Yang admitted with no small amount of guilt, finally seeing how wrong she and Tai were in handling the situation.

"Fine…. Stay as long as you like." Ruby admitted defeat.

Ruby would never let her know, but she missed Yang dearly. She craved the relationship they used to have before she left for the military.

"How about breakfast?" Yang asked as she nudged Ruby in the arm earning a small giggle from the younger girl.

"Fine, but you're cooking. As an apology for what you did." Ruby crossed her arms and walked out of the bathroom.

"Alright, fine with me." Yang said as she followed close behind.

As Yang was cooking small talk was exchanged. Mostly just sisters catching up on each other's lives. It was mostly just Yang talking non-stop about her wife, Blake. Ruby enjoyed listening. She liked having someone else around for a change. Instead of a TV on in the background she was actually having a conversation. Ruby was happy to not be greeted by silence and loneliness. By the end of the day, Ruby was happy Yang had decided to visit.

After a long day of hanging out, Yang decided to head back to her hotel. Ruby gave Yang approval to stay the night there, but there was no other bed and Yang didn't want to sleep on the couch. According to Yang, her puns had put her on the couch enough in her own household. Yang was willing to stay if Ruby thought she would need her, but Ruby insisted over and over that breakdowns like that morning were few and far between.

Yang left kind of early. As Ruby closed the door she was met with silence again. She quickly went to the counter and picked up her cigarettes. Ruby decided she wasn't feeling the balcony, so she headed down to the lobby and outside the apartment to smoke at ground level.

Ruby lit her cigarette and began to inhale. Drag after drag she felt like it truly calmed her nerves, even if only slightly. Ruby looked up at the sky looking for stars. She couldn't find any. The city lights of Seattle masked the vibrant sky too much. Ruby thought to herself that maybe visiting home wouldn't be a bad idea. She missed her Dad after all.

"Those are going to kill you, you know?" Ruby turned to see none other than the heiress from a few days ago, Weiss Schnee.

"Haha my sister thinks so too. What brings you to my neck of the woods Weiss?" Ruby asked curious about the heiress presence.

"Well, I came to check on you. Ozpin called and said you were going through something." Weiss said as she brushed loose hair out of her face and looked everywhere but at Ruby.

"I'm flattered a beauty like you would come all this way to see me, but why did Ozpin call you?" Ruby asked. Clearly surprised by Weiss's comment.

"Oh. I thought you knew." Weiss's tone became serious.

"Knew what?" Ruby asked eager to understand what was happening.

"Well. I talked Ozpin out of your contract. You're my personal bodyguard now. I figured if you can't come to me then I'll come to you. After the other day, I'm kind of afraid to be alone." Weiss said slightly embarrassed.

"Wait, you did what?" Ruby said shocked.

"You are my bodyguard now. You would've found out today if you had actually given me your phone number instead of that dumb note." Weiss said with a slight huff.

"Wow. I can't believe you actually went through with it. I'm impressed." Ruby complimented.

"Well, what can I say? You _impressed_ me the other day." Weiss said. Ruby didn't miss it either. Clearly this was Weiss Schnee attempting to flirt.

"Mhm. You just had to come and see me, didn't you?" Ruby deadpanned and Weiss lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Fine. Weiss follow me. Come in and get to know me a little." Ruby playfully ordered as she tossed her cigarette on the ground and stomped out the embers.

"Thank you. I'm glad you see it my way." Weiss said as she proudly accomplished her mission.

"Trust me snowflake. You'll see it my way by the end of the night." Ruby looked Weiss in the eye while she licked her lips seductively.

For the next hour. Weiss Schnee could not look Ruby Rose in the eye. The whole time Weiss could only think about how much she truly might want that.

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 **I have a lot of fun writing PTSD Ruby. R &R**


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